
What languages did Quebec speak after the French Revolution?
What happened to Quebec City in 1759?
What language did the French speak?
What was the Quebec Act?
What was the future of the French colonists?
Why did the French government publish ordinances in French?
When did Canadians speak French?
See 4 more
About this website

Why did the French settle in Quebec?
They came in hopes of gaining some social mobility or sheltering themselves from religious persecution by a republican and secular France. For the most part, they settled in Montreal and Quebec City.
Who lived in Quebec before the French?
The aboriginal peoples that were Quebec's first inhabitants are usually classified into three main linguistic groups: the Algonquian, the Inuit (Eskimo-Aleut), and the Iroquoian.
When did the French invade Quebec?
Battle of Quebec, also called Battle of the Plains of Abraham, (September 13, 1759), in the French and Indian War, decisive defeat of the French under the marquis de Montcalm by a British force led by Maj. Gen. James Wolfe.
What was the name of Quebec before 1759?
New FranceNew France (1534–1763)
Where did French Canadians originate from?
During the 17th century, French settlers originating mainly from the west and north of France settled Canada. It is from them that the French Canadian ethnicity was born. During the 17th to 18th centuries, French Canadians expanded across North America and colonized various regions, cities, and towns.
Who settled in Quebec first?
Louis Hébert1617: Louis Hébert and his family, the first settlers at the city of Quebec, arrived. 1642: Montreal was founded by Sieur de Maissonneuve. 1663: King Louis XIV made New France a royal colony.
How did France lose Quebec?
A British invasion force led by General James Wolfe defeated French troops under the Marquis de Montcalm, leading to the surrender of Quebec to the British. Both commanding officers died from wounds sustained during the battle. The French never recaptured Quebec and effectively lost control of New France in 1760.
Who captured Quebec?
Battle of Quebec Begins British and American troops established a foothold on the Isle of Orleans downstream from Quebec in June 1759. Three months later, on September 13, 1759, the British under General James Wolfe achieved a dramatic victory when they scaled the cliffs over the city of Quebec.
Who defeated the French in Quebec?
BritishThe Battle of Quebec was fought on 13 September 1759 during the Seven Years War (1756-63). British troops led by Major-General James Wolfe came up against the garrison of French general the Marquis de Montcalm. Wolfe's victory ultimately led to the conquest of Canada by Britain.
Whats the oldest city in Canada?
Annapolis Royal, N.S., is Canada's oldest town, but it only looks like it hasn't changed in centuries. A new documentary shows it was a rundown "dump" in the 1970s.
Who were the first people to live in Quebec?
The First Nations who occupy Quebec are Abenaki, Algonquin, Atikamekw, Cree, Haudenosaunee, Huron-Wendat, Innu, Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet), Mi'kmaq and Naskapi. The reserve with the largest population belongs to the Mohawks of Kahnawà:ke.
When did Quebec want to separate from Canada?
The 1995 Quebec referendum was the second referendum to ask voters in the predominantly French-speaking Canadian province of Quebec whether Quebec should proclaim sovereignty and become an independent country, with the condition precedent of offering a political and economic agreement to Canada.
Who were the first people living in Quebec?
The First Nations who occupy Quebec are Abenaki, Algonquin, Atikamekw, Cree, Haudenosaunee, Huron-Wendat, Innu, Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet), Mi'kmaq and Naskapi. The reserve with the largest population belongs to the Mohawks of Kahnawà:ke.
Who were the first settlers in Canada?
Royal New France In 1604, the first European settlement north of Florida was established by French explorers Pierre de Monts and Samuel de Champlain, first on St. Croix Island (in present-day Maine), then at Port-Royal, in Acadia (present-day Nova Scotia). In 1608 Champlain built a fortress at what is now Québec City.
Are Quebecers from Normandy?
The migrants came from Normandy, Aunis, Perche, Brittany, Paris and Île-de-France, Poitou, Maine, Saintonge, and Anjou, most of those being regions where French was seldom spoken at the time (see article Languages of France).
Where did Quebec French come from?
Québécois French is based on the French spoken in Paris during the 17th and 18th centuries because during that time Europeans were colonizing the Americas and French royals sent Parisians to live in “la Nouvelle France” (aka New France which is modern-day Québec).
Timeline of Quebec history (1663–1759) - Wikipedia
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources.Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. December 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Is Quebecois French a form of French Creole? - Quora
Answer (1 of 3): No it is not. It is the French language as imported by France during colonization and then, after France abandoned the colonists to their fate as the land was deemed - quelques arpents de neige… (merely a few acres of snow) - the language in Quebec evolved parallel to the languag...
Why Does Quebec speak French? - KnowsWhy.com
Why Does Quebec speak French? Canada is an amazing country for so many different reasons. The many different cultural aspects make for a multidimensional area of North America and a place where you can hear just about every different type of language in the world. One of the dominant
When did the first people arrive in Quebec?
Paleo-American populations preceded the arrival of the Algonquian and Iroquois people in southern Quebec about 10,000 years ago .
What is the history of Quebec?
Quebec has played a special role in French history; the modern province occupies much of the land where French settlers founded the colony of Canada (New France) in the 17th and 18th centuries. The population is predominantly French-speaking and Roman Catholic, ...
What was the name of the territory of New France?
New France (1534–1759) Main article: History of New France. Modern Quebec was part of the territory of New France, the general name for the North American possessions of France until 1763. At its largest extent, before the Treaty of Utrecht, this territory included several colonies, each with its own administration: Canada, Acadia, Hudson Bay, ...
How many French people were there in 1700?
By 1700, fewer than 20,000 people of French origin were settled in New France, extending from Newfoundland to the Mississippi, with the pattern of settlement following the networks of the cod fishery and fur trade, although most Quebec settlers were farmers.
Where did Cartier sail?
On his second voyage on May 26, 1535, Cartier sailed upriver to the St. Lawrence Iroquoian villages of Stadacona, near present-day Quebec City, and Hochelaga, near present-day Montreal . In 1541, Jean-François Roberval became lieutenant of New France and had the responsibility to build a new colony in America.
Where were the Aboriginal settlements located?
Aboriginal settlements were located across the area of present-day Quebec before the arrival of Europeans. In the northernmost areas of the province, Inuit communities can be found. Other aboriginal communities belong to the following First Nations :
Which provinces were part of the Dominion of Canada?
After several years of negotiations, in 1867 the British Parliament passed the British North America Acts, by which the Province of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia joined to form the Dominion of Canada. Canada East became the Province of Quebec.
When did the French settle in Quebec?
Permanent European settlement of the region began only in 1608, when Samuel de Champlain established a fort at Cape Diamond, the site of present-day Quebec city, then called Stadacona. A half century later the French settlement had a meagre population of some 3,200 people. Samuel de Champlain.
When did Quebec start?
The origins of Quebec go back to 1534–35, when the French explorer Jacques Cartier landed at present-day Gaspé and took possession of the land in the name of the king of France. Cartier brought with him the 16th-century European traditions of mercantile expansion to a land where a few thousand Indians (First Nations) and Inuit ...
What was the territory of New France?
Although New France began with the founding of three cities—Quebec city in 1608, Trois-Rivières in 1616, and Montreal in 1642—it eventually included a vast inland territory incorporating Nova Scotia, Cape Breton Island, and Newfoundland and extending southwest all the way to Louisiana. In the Treaty of Utrecht (1713), which confirmed France’s defeat in the War of the Spanish Succession, Great Britain acquired all of Nova Scotia (except for Cape Breton), Newfoundland, and the lands around Hudson Bay. The remaining territory of New France, except for Louisiana and the islands of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon in the Gulf of the St. Lawrence, was ceded to Great Britain in the Treaty of Paris (1763).
What did the French Canadian government provide for?
It also provided for an elected assembly and for appointed executive and legislative councils. In short order, the majority French Canadian society ensured that members of its increasingly nationalistic professional middle class, educated by the Catholic Church, came to dominate the elected assembly.
What was the New France?
New France. New France, 16th–18th century. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Within a decade of having acquired nearly all of France’s North American colonies, Britain faced a revolution of independence by its original 13 colonies. In 1774, hoping to retain the loyalty of their new subjects in the French and Catholic colony ...
Which country acquired Nova Scotia?
In the Treaty of Utrecht (1713), which confirmed France’s defeat in the War of the Spanish Succession, Great Britain acquired all of Nova Scotia (except for Cape Breton), Newfoundland, and the lands around Hudson Bay.
Where did Quebec French originate?
The origins of Quebec French lie in the 17th- and 18th-century regional varieties (dialects) of early modern French, also known as Classical French, and of other langues d'oïl (especially Poitevin dialect, Saintongeais dialect and Norman) that French colonists brought to New France. Quebec French either evolved from this language base and was shaped by the following influences (arranged according to historical period) or was imported from Paris and other urban centres of France as a koiné, or common language shared by the people speaking it.
What was the French language in Quebec?
From the Quiet Revolution to the passing of the Charter of the French Language, the French language in Quebec saw a period of validation in its varieties associated with the working class while the percentage of literate and university-educated francophones grew. Laws concerning the status of French were passed both on the federal and provincial levels. The Office québécois de la langue française was established to play an essential role of support in language planning. In Ontario, the first French-language public secondary schools were built in the 1960s, but not without confrontations. West Nipissing, Penetanguishene and Windsor each had their own school crisis.
What is the difference between Quebec and French?
For example, in Quebec French, unlike European French, a full non-breaking space is not used before the semicolon, exclamation mark, or question mark. Instead, a thin space (which according to Le Ramat de la typographie normally measures a quarter of an em) is used; this thin space can be omitted in word-processing situations where the thin space is assumed to be unavailable, or when careful typography is not required.
What are the old dialects of French?
The "old dialects"/pronunciations of ancien régime French are spoken on the territory of what constituted the colony at the time of the British conquest of 1759. The Laurentian colony of New France was then divided into two districts; the Montreal District and the Quebec District.
What is Quebec French?
Quebec French ( French: français québécois [fʁɑ̃sɛ kebekwa]; also known as Québécois French or Québécois) is the predominant variety of the French language in Canada, in its formal and informal registers. Quebec French is used in everyday communication, as well as in education, the media, and government.
Why is Quebec French equated with French?
One of the reasons for this is to keep it in line with and mutually intelligible with Metropolitan French. There is a continuum of full intelligibility throughout Quebec and European French. If a comparison can be made, the differences between both varieties are comparable to those between standard American and standard British English even if differences in phonology and prosody for the latter are higher, though American forms will be widely understood due to larger exposure of American English in English-speaking countries, notably as a result of the widespread diffusion of US films and series. Quebec French was shown to be at least 93% intelligible with standard European French.
When did Quebec become industrialized?
After Canadian Confederation in 1867, Quebec started to become industrialized and thus experienced increased contact between French and English speakers. Quebec business, especially with the rest of Canada and with the United States, was conducted in English.
What is Québec French?
Québec French, or québécois, is a variety of Canadian French that possesses its own characteristics and words that exhibit its unique history. Let’s take a look at how québécois evolved throughout the centuries to become the language it is today. And if you’re feeling inspired, you can try your hand at a few juicy québécois words and phrases, too!
When did dissent over the varying forms of Canadian French in Québec begin?
Dissent over the varying forms of Canadian French in Québec began after the British conquest and intensified from the mid-19th century onwards. Some felt that québécois should align itself with the French spoken in France, arguing that the archaisms and anglicisms of the popular tongue were simply wrong.
What Are Some Examples Of Canadian French?
Je suis becomes chu (I am), il becomes y, elle is a, je vais slips into j’va or m’a and cette contracts neatly into c’te. These spoken pronunciations common to 18th century France are still used in vernacular French dialects today.
What was the French colony called after the discovery of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence?
New France And English Domination. After the first European exploration of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence in 1534, France laid claim to the territory we now call Canada. Colonizers quickly established steadfast settlements, and French was imposed as the lingua franca to the detriment of indigenous dialects.
When did the British take control of New France?
After Britain captured Québec and Montreal, the British Crown took official control of New France in 1763. The French elite left the province, overseas trade ceased and the teaching of French declined, while an English-speaking minority came to rule over politics and the economy.
When was the French language charter passed?
The Charter of the French Language, also known as Bill 101, was passed in 1977. Various institutions emerged, like the Office of the French Language, which worked with university researchers to create standards for québécois.
What is the meaning of "embarquer dans une voiture"?
Some expressions mirror the concerns of colonists from Northwest France, such as the use of maritime vocabulary. For example, you can embarquer dans une voiture (embark in a car) or couler un examen (literally, to “sink,” or fail, an exam).
What was the first language spoken in Quebec?
Of the immigrants who settled in Quebec, 63 per cent now had French as their first official language spoken (FOLS). In the other provinces of Canada, only 2 per cent did.
How many French people emigrated to Canada in 1760?
In fact, from 1760 to 1850, only about 1,000 French people immigrated to Canada. Yet, during the same period, the blazing growth of the United States attracted a quarter of a million.
What happened to the French after the Second World War?
After New France was ceded to Great Britain in 1763, the migration of French colonists slowed considerably. A trickle of clergy members, farmers and professionals settled during the 19th century. However, after the Second World War, French immigration — which was then politically favoured — resumed with renewed vigour. This effort was geared towards recruiting francophone professionals and entrepreneurs, who settled in Canada’s big cities. The French spawned many cultural associations and had a large presence in French-Canadian schools.
How many nuns were there in Canada in 1850?
In 1850, Canada had 650 francophone nuns — by 1920, they would total 13,579. The number of priests and brothers would rise from 788 to 6,536. In Quebec and other French-Canadian migration destinations in North America, it was the Church that founded modern institutions.
How did religious settlers influence the French?
Religious settlers had a significant influence on religious practice in French Canada, as well as on the traditionalism of its secular elite. In part because of the elite’s ascendancy over the French Canadians, the latter had large families and saw defending their homeland as inseparable from defending their faith.
Why were French Canadians not in favour of immigration during the Great Depression?
During the Great Depression in the 1930s, French Canadians were not necessarily in favour of immigration because it created competition for the rare jobs available. The French community’s cohesion in Canada during this period is difficult to get a handle on. For instance, no Canadian city had a “French Quarter,” and although Alliances Françaises had existed since the late 19th century, it proved more difficult to unite French immigrants than immigrants from other communities of European descent. Thus, Gabriel Bonneau, Charles de Gaulle’s representative in Canada, was not able to rally his compatriots behind the general until 1943.
Why did French people come to Canada?
They came in hopes of gaining some social mobility or sheltering themselves from religious persecution by a republican and secular France. For the most part, they settled in Montreal and Quebec City. Among them was Pierre Guerout, a Huguenot who in 1792 was elected to the first Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada. In Upper Canada, Count Joseph-Geneviève de Puisaye, convinced around forty French people to settle north of York.
Who won the Battle of Quebec?
Battle of Quebec: September 13, 1759. On September 13, 1759, the British under General James Wolfe (1727-59) achieved a dramatic victory when they scaled the cliffs over the city of Quebec to defeat French forces under Louis-Joseph de Montcalm on the Plains of Abraham (an area named for the farmer who owned the land).
What happened to France in 1760?
By 1760, the French had been expelled from Canada , and by 1763 all of France’s allies in Europe had either made a separate peace with Prussia or had been defeated. In addition, Spanish attempts to aid France in the Americas had failed, and France also suffered defeats against British forces in India.
What was the name of the battle that took place in 1759?
Seven Years’ War: Background. Battle of Quebec: September 13, 1759. Treaty of Paris: 1763. On September 13, 1759, during the Seven Years’ War (1756-63), a worldwide conflict known in the United States as the French and Indian War, the British under General James Wolfe (1727-59) achieved a dramatic victory when they scaled the cliffs over ...
Which is the largest Canadian province?
Did you know? Quebec is the largest Canadian province by area, and the only one whose sole official language is French.
Who was the British prime minister in 1757?
However, in 1757, British Prime Minister William Pitt (1708–1778), often called William Pitt the Elder, recognized the potential of imperial expansion that would come out of victory against the French and borrowed heavily to fund an expanded war effort.
When did the French take Quebec?
A view of the taking of Quebec, 13th September 1759. The retreating French troops had reached the Jacques-Cartier River, where they came under the command of Francis de Gaston, Chevalier de Lévis on 17 September 1759.
When was Quebec under British occupation?
Quebec under British occupation in 1761. Print by Richard Short
What was Lévis's message to Paris?
Lévis prepared his attack during the winter, and sent a message to Paris in October 1759 asking for reinforcements, siege artillery and supplies to be sent to Quebec as soon as possible . He was determined to press on as soon as the ice began to melt making the St Lawrence passable.
What happened to Quebec in 1775?
Quebec would endure another siege in 1775, the third in sixteen years during the American War of Independence when American rebel forces participating in the Invasion of Canada. The attack failed and the arrival of British ships down the St Lawrence the following Spring forced the Americans to abandon their attempt, in a situation very similar to the relief of 1760.
What was the name of the city that was captured by Britain in the Second Siege of Quebec?
Sainte-Foy. 2nd Quebec. Pointe-aux-Trembles. Sainte-Thérèse. Montreal. Thousand Islands. The Siege of Quebec, also known as the Second Siege of Quebec, was an unsuccessful French attempt to retake Quebec City in New France which had been captured by Britain the previous year.
What was the Siege of Quebec?
Siege of Quebec (1760) A view of Quebec being relieved by the Royal Navy. Print by Captain Harvey Smith on board HMS Vanguard. / 46.8074; -71.2071. / 46.8074; -71.2071. The Siege of Quebec, also known as the Second Siege of Quebec, was an unsuccessful French attempt to retake Quebec City in New France which had been captured by Britain ...
Where was the Battle of Sainte Foy?
Battle of Sainte-Foy. Main article: Battle of Sainte-Foy. The Battle of Sainte-Foy which took place outside Quebec just before the siege on 28 April 1760. Lévis didn't expect the British to give battle and he was surprised to see the British the following day.
What was the French interest in Canada in 1664?
Political map of the Northeastern part of North America in 1664. The French interest in Canada focused first on fishing off the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. However, at the beginning of the 17th century, France was more interested in fur from North America.
Who was the first French explorer?
Major French exploration of North America began under the rule of Francis I, King of France. In 1524, Francis sent Italian-born Giovanni da Verrazzno to explore the region between Florida and Newfoundland for a route to the Pacific Ocean. Terrazzo gave the names Francesca and Nova Gall to that land between New Spain and English Newfoundland, thus promoting French interests.
How did Villegaignon expand the colony?
Unchallenged by the Portuguese, who initially took little notice of his landing, Villegaignon endeavoured to expand the colony by calling for more colonists in 1556. He sent one of his ships, the Grande Roberge, to Honfleur, entrusted with letters to King Henry II, Gaspard de Coligny and according to some accounts, the Protestant leader John Calvin. After one ship was sent to France to ask for additional support, three ships were financed and prepared by the king of France and put under the command of Sieur De Bois le Comte, a nephew of Villegagnon. They were joined by 14 Calvinists from Geneva, led by Philippe de Corguilleray, including theologians Pierre Richier and Guillaume Chartrier. The new colonists, numbering around 300, included 5 young women to be wed, 10 boys to be trained as translators, as well as 14 Calvinists sent by Calvin, and also Jean de Léry, who would later write an account of the colony. They arrived in March 1557. The relief fleet was composed of: The Petite Roberge, with 80 soldiers and sailors was led by Vice Admiral Sieur De Bois le Comte. The Grande Roberge, with about 120 on board, captained by Sieur de Sainte-Marie dit l'Espine. The Rosée, with about 90 people, led by Captain Rosée. Doctrinal disputes arose between Villegagnon and the Calvinists, especially in relation to the Eucharist, and in October 1557 the Calvinists were banished from Coligny island as a result. They settled among the Tupinamba until January 1558, when some of them managed to return to France by ship together with Jean de Léry, and five others chose to return to Coligny island where three of them were drowned by Villegagnon for refusing to recant.
What colony did Champlain establish?
The expedition then founded the colony of Port-Royal . In 1608, Champlain founded a fur post that would become the city of Quebec, which would become the capital of New France. In Quebec, Champlain forged alliances between France and the Huron and Ottawa against their traditional enemies, the Iroquois.
How many wives did Louis XIV send to New France?
That year, to increase the population, Louis XIV sent between 800 and 900 ' King's Daughters ' to become the wives of French settlers. The population of New France reached subsequently 7000 in 1674 and 15000 in 1689.
How many colonial wars did France have?
At the beginning of the French and Indian War (1754–1763), the British population in North America outnumbered the French 20 to 1. France fought a total of six colonial wars in North America (see the four French and Indian Wars as well as Father Rale's War and Father Le Loutre's War ). See also: Franco-Indian alliance.
What did the French do to establish colonies in North America?
He founded New France by planting a cross on the shore of the Gaspé Peninsula. The French subsequently tried to establish several colonies throughout North America that failed, due to weather, disease, or conflict with other European powers. Cartier attempted to create the first permanent European settlement in North America at Cap-Rouge (Quebec City) in 1541 with 400 settlers but the settlement was abandoned the next year after bad weather and attacks from Native Americans in the area. A small group of French troops were left on Parris Island, South Carolina in 1562 to build Charlesfort, but left after a year when they were not resupplied by France. Fort Caroline established in present-day Jacksonville, Florida, in 1564, lasted only a year before being destroyed by the Spanish from St. Augustine. An attempt to settle convicts on Sable Island off Nova Scotia in 1598 failed after a short time. In 1599, a sixteen-person trading post was established in Tadoussac (in present-day Quebec ), of which only five men survived the first winter. In 1604 Pierre Du Gua de Monts and Samuel de Champlain founded a short-lived French colony, the first in Acadia, on Saint Croix Island, presently part of the state of Maine, which was much plagued by illness, perhaps scurvy. The following year the settlement was moved to Port Royal, located in present-day Nova Scotia.
What languages did Quebec speak after the French Revolution?
After the French Revolution, the standard pronunciation in France changed to that of the bourgeois class in Paris, but Quebec retained some pronunciations and expressions shared with modern Oïl languages such as Norman, Gallo, Picard, Poitevin and Saintongeais. Speakers of those languages of France predominated among the settlers of New France.
What happened to Quebec City in 1759?
On September 13, 1759, Quebec City, then the political capital of New France, was taken by the British Army. New France fell a year later. According to the terms of 1760 Articles of Capitulation of Montreal, the French Army was to leave the conquered territory. The ruling elite (French nobles and leading merchants) also left.
What language did the French speak?
Although pronunciations like moé and toé are today stigmatized ( joual ), they were the pronunciations of Early Modern French that were used by the kings of France, the aristocracy and the common people in many provinces of France. After the French Revolution, the standard pronunciation in France changed to that of the bourgeois class in Paris, but Quebec retained some pronunciations and expressions shared with modern Oïl languages such as Norman, Gallo, Picard, Poitevin and Saintongeais. Speakers of those languages of France predominated among the settlers of New France. Thus, they spoke a popular language that was largely shared with Paris, but they had their own habits, words and pronunciations that were not known in Paris which are now part of everyday language in Quebec.
What was the Quebec Act?
The Quebec Act of 1774 granted many of the requests of the Canadians, who had been petitioning the British crown for the restoration of French civil laws and guarantees as to the usage of their language and faith .
What was the future of the French colonists?
Rapidly, the new ruling elite planned its future for the French-speaking colonists, who were to be absorbed into the English-speaking society of British North America, but they were to be allowed the right of Catholic worship under the terms of the treaty.
Why did the French government publish ordinances in French?
Because the population was unable to understand English, it was decided that ordinances would be published in French. To do so, numerous Canadians were permitted to participate in the administration of justice . In 1763, France ceded Canada to Great Britain in the Treaty of Paris.
When did Canadians speak French?
In any event, according to contemporary sources, the Canadians were all speaking French natively by the end of the 17th century, long before France itself outside its large urban centers.

Overview
Quebec was first called Canada between 1534 and 1763. It was the most developed colony of New France as well as New France's centre, responsible for a variety of dependencies (ex. Acadia, Plaisance, Louisiana, and the Pays d'en Haut). Common themes in Quebec's early history as Canada include the fur trade -because it was the main industry- as well as the exploration of North America, …
History
Aboriginal settlements were located across the area of present-day Quebec before the arrival of Europeans. In the northernmost areas of the province, Inuit communities can be found. Other aboriginal communities belong to the following First Nations:
• Abenakis
New France (1534–1763)
Modern Quebec was part of the territory of New France, the general name for the North American possessions of France until 1763. At its largest extent, before the Treaty of Utrecht, this territory included several colonies, each with its own administration: Canada, Acadia, Hudson Bay, and Louisiana.
The borders of these colonies were not precisely defined, and were open on th…
British North America (1760–1867)
British rule under Royal Governor James Murray was benign, with the French Canadians guaranteed their traditional rights and customs. The British Royal Proclamation of 1763 united three Quebec districts into the Province of Quebec. It was the British who were the first to use the name "Quebec" to refer to a territory beyond Quebec City. The British tolerated the Catholic Church, and pro…
Canada (1867–present)
In the decades immediately before Canadian Confederation in 1867, French-speaking Quebeckers, known at that time as Canadiens, remained a majority within Canada East. Estimates of their proportion of the population between 1851 and 1861 are 75% of the total population, with around 20% of the remaining population largely composed of English-speaking citizens of British …
Summary of Quebec's political transformations
Names in bold refer to provinces, others to sub-provincial levels of government; the first names listed are those areas mostly nearly corresponding to contemporary Quebec.
• Canada, the core of New France (1608–1761): a French colony
• Province of Quebec (1763–1791): a British colony
See also
• Timeline of Quebec history
• History of Montreal
• List of National Historic Sites of Canada in Quebec
General:
Further reading
• Brunet, Michel. French Canada in the early decades of British rule (1981) online, 18pp; basic survey
• Cook, Ramsay, ed. French-Canadian Nationalism: An Anthology (1969)
• Coulombe; Pierre A. Language Rights in French Canada (1997)
History
Social Perception and Language Policy
- Standardization
Although Quebec French constitutes a coherent and standard system, it has no objective norm as the very organization mandated to establish it, the Office québécois de la langue française, believes that objectively standardizing Quebec French would lead to reduced mutual intelligibilit… - Mutual intelligibility with other varieties of French
As mentioned earlier, Quebec French is not standardized and is therefore equated with Standard French, partly to keep it in line with and mutually intelligible with Metropolitan French. There is a continuum of full intelligibility between Quebec and European French. If a comparison can be m…
Relation to European French
- Historically speaking, the closest relative of Quebec French is the 17th-century koiné of Paris. Formal Quebec French uses essentially the same orthography and grammar as Standard French, with few exceptions,and exhibits moderate lexical differences. Differences in grammar and lexicon become more marked as language becomes more informal. While phonetic differences …
Linguistic Structure
- Phonology
For phonological comparisons of Quebec French, Belgian French, Meridional French, and Metropolitan French, see French phonology. - Syntax
Like any variety of French, Quebec French is generally characterized by increasingly wide gaps between the formal form and the informal form. Notable differences include the generalized use of on (informal for nous), the use of single negations as opposed to double negations: J'ai pas (i…
See Also
References
- Barbaud, Philippe (1984). Le Choc des patois en Nouvelle-France: Essai sur l'histoire de la francisation au Canada (in French). Montreal: Presses de l'Université du Québec. ISBN 2-7605-0330-5.[Rese...
- Bergeron, Léandre (1982). The Québécois Dictionary. Toronto: James Lorimer & Co.
- Bouchard, Chantal (2011). Méchante langue: la légitimité linguistique du français parlé au Qu…
- Barbaud, Philippe (1984). Le Choc des patois en Nouvelle-France: Essai sur l'histoire de la francisation au Canada (in French). Montreal: Presses de l'Université du Québec. ISBN 2-7605-0330-5.[Rese...
- Bergeron, Léandre (1982). The Québécois Dictionary. Toronto: James Lorimer & Co.
- Bouchard, Chantal (2011). Méchante langue: la légitimité linguistique du français parlé au Québec (in French). Montréal: Presses de l'Université de Montréal. ISBN 978-2-7606-2284-5.
- Brandon, Edgar (1898). A French colony in Michigan. Modern Language Notes 13.121-24.
External Links
- History of the French Language in Quebec
- (in French) History of French in Quebec
- (in French) Trésor de la langue française au Québec
- (in French) Grand dictionnaire terminologique (Office québécois de la langue française)
New France and English Domination
Political Recognition in The 20th Century
- In the 1960s, an uprising known as the Quiet Revolution led to great social and political change. Language was at the heart of many debates. In 1974, French became the official language of Québec and was adopted in labor, commerce, administration and education. The Charter of the French Language, also known as Bill 101, was passed in 1977. Various institutions emerged, lik…
en Garde! Linguistic Debate and Evolution
- Dissent over the varying forms of Canadian French in Québec began after the British conquest and intensified from the mid-19th century onwards. Some felt that québécoisshould align itself with the French spoken in France, arguing that the archaisms and anglicisms of the popular tongue were simply wrong. Up to the end of the 1970s, the public broadc...
What Are Some Examples of Canadian French?
- When speaking québécois, personal and demonstrative pronouns often merge with verbs. Je suis becomes chu (I am), il becomes y, elle is a, je vais slips into j’va or m’a and cette contracts neatly into c’te. These spoken pronunciations common to 18th century France are still used in vernacular French dialects today. Pronouns are also generally doubled in speech. Quand est-ce que vous ve…
What About Québécois Expressions?
- Like all languages, québécois reflects the passage of time and various historical contexts. Some expressions mirror the concerns of colonists from Northwest France, such as the use of maritime vocabulary. For example, you can embarquer dans une voiture (embark in a car) or couler un examen(literally, to “sink,” or fail, an exam). The local climate has also inspired some fitting figur…
The Thorny Question of Anglicisms
- For obvious historical and geographical reasons, Canadian French is filled with anglicisms, and they’re often quite old. Since the 1970s, English terms have been translated in a quasi-systematized fashion. Courriel is “email,” pourriel is “spam,” baladodiffusion is “podcasting,” a skateboard is a rouli-roulant and clavarder means “to chat.” Paradoxically, québécois is also fille…